Seeing in Darkness
by Noelle-Tuttle
Summary: Nords get worried when a blind man begins swinging about a sword. They get really nervous when that blind man begins throwing lighting and fire about him. But Armandur isn't one to sit at home wrapped in a blanket in front of the fireplace, not when there adventures for glory to be found. But the dragons have returned and Skyrim is in need of a hero to save it.
1. Chapter 1

Seeing in Darkness

Nords get worried when a blind man begins swinging about a sword. They get really nervous when that blind man begins throwing lighting and fire about him. But Armandur isn't one to sit at home rapped in a blanket in front of the fireplace, not when there adventures for glory and honour to be found. But the dragons have returned and Skyrim is in need of a hero to save it. Armandur is the Dragonborn, and has to fight flying dragons. A difficult process for a man who can't see, but he's Skyrim only hope.

"Who are you?" the Imperial solider asked with a confused tone. The Nord standing before was only a finger length taller than the imperials. But through the rags thick ripping muscle showed. His hair was the typical golden blonde that was combed back over his head and braided. Lines of blood-red war paint crossed his eyes in an 'x'. This made his milky white eyes standout in an eerie way.

"Armandur Thorirsson,"

"You picked a bad time to come home kin's man. Captain what do we do? He's not on the list, and he's also . . . Blind," the Imperial solider replied sheepishly. Armandur sighed inwardly, people always got awkward when they knew about his disability. But he got no sympathy from the hard imperial woman who ordered him to be executed with the other criminals.

"I'm sorry at least you'll die here in your homeland," the Imperial solider replied trying to be sympathetic. "Follow the captain prisoner, "a rough hand grabbed him and moved Armandur toward the group standing before the execution block.

Armandur stood rigid, his head was still ringing from being hit from behind and could still feel the blood crusting in his hair. He was still figuring out what was going on. He was trying to make his way home after being away fighting. He used his gift with magic to weave a spell that allowed him to detect life and allowed him to sense the world around him. Travelling while blind is difficult enough, but with bandits and thieves on the road, Armandur decided it was best that he tracks through the woods. He had taken a break by a rock as a group of men passed him. Suddenly there were sounds of fighting and Armandur had tried to leave quietly. Then he was hit from behind, probably with a rock because he hadn't sensed anyone.

He had awakened to the rocking motion of a wagon and felt his hand bound before him. The kind voice of a man spoke to him about an ambush, and Ulfric Stormcloak. Had he heard right? Then he was caught in an incident between the Stromcloaks and the Imperials.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, some people in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use his voice to murder his king and usurp his throne. You started this war, flung Skyrim into chaos. Now the Empire is going to put you down and restore the peace," an Imperial declared with authority. Suddenly a distant roar echoed through Helgen startling Armandur. Armandur had never heard anything like it and he shut his eyelids to it wouldn't be noticed when he used his spell. He sensed only the large crowd of people in Helgen, but something still didn't feel right.

All around him people shouted and argued. This wasn't good at all. He was going to be killed regardless of his loyalties. The last rites were being said as a too eager or foolish man stepped up to the execution block demanding them to get it over with. Armandur flinched as he heard the sound an ax cutting through flesh before hit the wood of the choking block.

"Next the Nord in the rags," the harsh woman called, and Armandur hoped she wasn't talking about him. Then the roar echoed again sending a chill down his spine.

"I said next prisoner!"

"To the block prisoner, nice and easy," the gentle voice of the imperial said. Armandur bound hands were tugged forward as he was moved to the block and forced to sit and lie his had on the still wet wood. Armandur heart thudded in his chest he could feel the killing intent of the executioner loam over him. Armandur true to his stubborn Nord nature, clenched his teeth and began a spell to blow them all away. He refusing to die for no reason.

Then the roar sounded closer and a man cried out, "What in Oblivion is that?" The ground shock and Armandur activated his life sensing spell. He found him being stared at by the largest being he had ever sensed, a dragon. It mere presence was enormous, brimming with life and power. The dragon roared but not a normal roar, but a call of magic and power. It caused the world to swirl around Armandur and knocked him of his feet.

That was when the world fell into chaos.

"Hey kinsmen, get up! Come on, the Gods won't give us another chance!" Armandur heard the kind Nord voice calling him. In desperate dash Armandur ran toward his voice tripping slightly as the ground shock with impact. He ran into the door frame and gentle hands pulled him into the shelter of a building. The door shut behind him muffling the sounds of chaos from outside.

"Jarl Ulfric, what is that thing? Could the legends be true?" asked the kind Nord.

"What did he say his name was? Ralof . . . I think," Armandur thought as he tried to catch his breath.

"Legends don't burn down villages," replied Ulfric. Armandur was surprised how calm he sounded, and his voice alone commanded authority.

"We need to move now!" Ulfric commanded, "Up through the tower!" He heard the men around him rush up the stair beside him. Armandur took a second to begin his life detecting spell again and get a bearing on his environment. When he did follow the man, he assumed was Ralof up the stairs the walls of the towers blew in.

"Get back!" Armandur knelt on the stairs staring in horror as the dragon flame scorched the two men that had gone up the stairs before him. The glows of their life light were consumed by the dragon's fire. As suddenly as the dragon had appeared, it leaped off the tower into the air.

Ralof peered through the opening the dragon made and said "See the inn on the other side? Jump through the roof and keep going."

"No I can't see the inn," Armandur though darkly. But unable to think of any other solution, Armandur made a leap of faith and thanked the Gods when his feet hit wood. The smell of smoke filled his nose and he could taste soot in the air. The inn was on fire, but then again what wasn't? He sensed an opening in the floor and jumped down. He got out the burning building as fast as he could. In the clearing he could hear the orders of an imperial as he gathered survivors around him. Armandur headed toward the group that he sensed were a child and an older man.

Then he sensed the dragon again as it landed and scorched the area before taking off again.

He felt the imperial grab his arm, "Still alive prisoner? Stick close to me if you stay that way!" Armandur didn't argue with him, tracking the dragon as it circles Helgen looking for a new target. The imperial named Hadvar, nearly pulled him off his feet when he went charging off. Armandur followed close behind and noticed the dragon coming down again.

"Stay close to the wall!", Hadvar ordered, and Armandur didn't need to be told twice as the dragon landed on the wall, it wing just inches from his face. The dragon fire was so close he could feel it heat on his face and the smell of brimstone filled his nostrils.

"Quickly follow me," Hadvar grabbed his arm again and Armandur was forced to trail behind tripping on bodies. Not that he didn't appreciate that the imperial was kind enough to care for the blind and tied up prisoner, but it was inconvenient to be dragged around. Armandur felt the magical energies of the mages as the imperial fought the dragon. Hadvar continued to drag him away as he was ordered into the keep.

"Ralof! You traitor! Out of my way," cried Hadvar as he let go of Armandur's arm.

"We're escaping, Halvar. Your not stopping us this time," replied Ralof.

"Fine, I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde."

Armandur was in increasing terror as the dragon drove right over the two arguing men, taking a guard right off the wall and dropping him from a hundred of feet in the air. Armandur watched in horror as the distant light winked out and yelled, "Is this really the time and place for this?"

Ralof ran into the keep calling, "You! Come on into the keep!"

Hadvar charged off toward another door, ordering "With me, prisoner."

Not willing to become a prisoner again he followed Ralof into the keep. Armandur found Ralof kneeling next to a corpse, morning his comrade. Armandur could sense that the last remaining spark if life lingering on the man.

"Looks like we're the only ones that made it," Ralof began to talk and nervously about the dragon. But Armandur was just glad he could finely take a breath, and thought, "At least I can take a moment before the end of the world." That thought didn't sit well with Armandur, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

"We need to get moving. Come here. Let me see if I can get those bindings off you," he said and Armandur felt him cut his bindings. He thanked Ralof, rubbing his sore wrists as he had been straining against them this entire time. Ralof instructed him to take the armour of his fallen comrade. It took a couple of moments but he managed to feel his way to the corpse and struggled to find the clasps.

"What are you doing? Hurry," Ralof urged, "Someone's coming,"

Armandur heard the voices and footsteps and decided to leave the body. He grabbed the axe and hid by the door with Ralof.

"What are you..."Ralof didn't have anytime to say anything else because the Imperials had reached the gate. As soon as, the imperials were through the gate Armandur torched them. The imperial's Ralof ended them with a few quick strikes.

"Maybe one of these imperil's has the key," Ralof said turning to search the other body. Armandur hesitated long enough for Ralof to take notice?

"What is it?" asked Ralof. Armandur shock his head then mutely nelt down and felt the body for a key hoping to find it on the imperial's belt.

Then he felt Ralof kneel beside him, saying, "The key is right here. Wait. . . are you blind?" He could feel Ralof eyes studying him, and he wish he wouldn't. Now he would cuddle him, and they couldn't afore that. So Armandur stood up and went to the gate.

"If we have the key them lets press forward before the dragon destroyes this place as well," Armandur said boldly.

"Lets go," Ralof said as he put the key in the gate and sung it open with a loud creak.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Wait!" Ralof cried as the dragon flew over and into the distant beyond Armandur's detection spell. "There it goes. Looks like it gone for good."

Armandur pulled back his hood and felt the cool mountain breeze hit his face. The cold never bothered the Nord and Armandur was just glad he could breathe the clear mountain air again. He hated the close feeling of caves. He leaned heavily on the war hammer he had picked up during the fighting.

" No way of knowing if anyone made it out alive. This place will soon be swarming with imperials soon enough. Better clear out," Ralof said as he walked beside Armandur. "My sister Gerdur owns a mill in Riverwood. She would happily help you out."

"I appreciate that. I've lost my way since the imperials knocked me out," Armandur said. He tilted his head up to the sky and felt the sun rays on his face. He could hear the birds singing around him. "It still afternoon, hopefully we can make it to your sister place before night comes."

"How did you . . . ? Never mind. Riverwood isn't far from here just down the path."

"Then lead the way."

Ralof leaded them down the path a leisurely pace, pausing if Armandur slowed down, glancing back to make sure Armandur was still following. Armandur used the war hammer as a guide feeling for rocks and roots in his path that may trip him. Armandur startled Ralof when he blasted a wolf that had just jumped over the ridge to attack them. Then he suddenly caught a blue butterfly that had passed close to him. Ralof was still wondering about his strange companion when they entered Riverwood.

Armandur pulled the hood of his robe over his head, shadowing his eyes from shocking the villagers and to keep from beginning recognized. Ralof touched Armandur shoulder and guided him away from the village centre. Armandur could hear the sound of a running water, and the sound of a saw as it cut cleanly through wood. This must be mill Ralof was talking about. A woman called out to Ralof, and began fussing over him. Armandur figured that his woman was Gerdur, Ralof's sister. With his spell he could only see the figure of a woman full of life but no details of her image. Which didn't matter to Armandur, since losing his sight he had discovered that appearances don't matter.

"Is this one of your comrades?" She addressed Armandur. He knew she was measuring him up.

"Not a comrade in arms yet. He's a friend. He saved my life"

"If I remember right you also saved my life," Armandur replied. In the short moments of fleeing and fighting with Ralof at his side, Armandur had become attached to th Nord.

"Is there somewhere we, can talk? There's no telling when the news from Helgen will reach the imperials," Ralof asked urgently.

"Helgan, has something happened? You're right. Come this way," Gerdur said as she leads them away from the mill. She called out to a man on the platform of the mill.

"What is it, woman? Sten drunk on the job again?" a man voice called down to them. "Ralof, what are you doing here? I'm coming." Gerdur leads them to a spot by the river. The sound of rushing water filling Armandur ears.

"Uncle Ralof!" a young boy followed by a barking hound came running up to join them. Ralof easily dealt with the excited youth easily, sending him to watch the road so that they could talk.

"Ralof, what are you doing here? You two look very done in," stated Gerdur Husband as he joined them.

Ralof sat down with a sigh, saying, "I don't remember when I last slept. Where to start?" Ralof began discussing the events at Helgen. Armandur sat down on a rock near by and finally released his spell. He was drained from having to use so many spells for so long, and tilted his head back to breathe in deeply as his magic restored itself. Armandur yelped as something hit him and he stood up with fire in his hands.

"It's just a waterskin," Gerdur said as she bent down to pick up the fallen waterskin. Armandur snuffed out the flames and held out his hand but not reaching for the skin. Gerdur placed the waterskin in his hand. She looked under his hood and saw his milky white eyes.

"You really can't see anything can you?" Ralof asked.

"I thought you already knew this," Armandur replied taking a mouth full of water, "Or did you doubt that I was."

"I didn't think you were really blind. I mean I saw you running and fighting. You were throwing fire around me . . . " Ralof voice trailed off at the revelation that just happened. "You shot that bear with my bow. How can you do all that if your blind?"

Armandur sighed, he had wanted to avoid the topic of magic around the Nords, and said"I am truly and completely blind. But I use a magic spell that allows me to sense the world around me. It a bit different than seeing but it my only choice. I mean I'd be dead without it."

Ralof looked surprised, "Magic can do that? It can make you able to see again."

"Not really, it only works while I have the spell active. So I not cured, but at least it allows me to travel and fight," Armandur admitted as he stood up leaning against the war hammer he picked up during the fighting.

"I don't want to trouble you or your family. But the imperials maybe following and we are fugitives as far as they are concerned."

"Nobody else has come up the south road as far as I know,"

"Good maybe we can lay up a while," Ralof said. "I hate to put your family in danger."

"Nonsense," Gerdur said firmly. "You and your friend are welcome. We can easily find the two of you in your home. Let me worry about the imperials. We can easily pass your friend of as cousin of yours. He looks just like you, Ralof, except handsomer. Your friend . . . I just realized we haven't been introduced."

"Armandur Thorirsson. Thank you for the water, ma'am."

"Any friend of Ralof is a friend of mine." Gerdur stated, placing an apple in Armandur hand. "Here's the key to the house. If you need anything else, just let me know."

"Can you point me in the direction of Whiterun?" Armandur asked.

"Yes; follow the path across the bridge then turn Northeast. After that follow the road and you can easily reach it," Gerdur explained. " If you are going to Whiterun, then there something you can do for me. The Jarl needs to know that there's a dragon about so he can muster his forces."

"Yes, I can do that," Armandur agreed.

"I need to get back to work,"

"Thanks sister. I knew we could count on you," Ralof stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll let them into the house . . . and show them where everything is," said Hod sheepishly.

Unconvinced Gerdur replied, "Hmm, help them drink up our mead you mean."

"Don't worry about me. I know how to lay low," Ralof said following Hod. Armandur brought up the rear silently, wanting a bed more than any mead.

**Thank you reader for continuing to follow me. I was so excited when I first saw someone was following me. This is my first time allowing someone to read my writing, and I'm still a bit nervous. This story is a test to see if my writing is worth pursuing. So I appreciate comments. But I'm still new to the Fanfiction publishing, so be nice**.


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